Press Review

“Zhamanak” considers the plans to install a politically weak figure like Samvel Nikoyan to the post of parliament speaker is a message from President Serzh Sarkisian to the society on how unimportant the legislative body is. “And this whole misery of what is called the Armenian parliament is being demonstrated only a few months before the next elections. And besides symbolism it may also reveal a fairly skillfully considered approach to demonstrate the parliament’s insignificance.”

“Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun” suggests that the confusion within the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) is due to the fact President Sarkisian is facing a challenge of trying to win his first nationwide elections alone. “At some point every toddler has to stop holding on his parent and start walking by himself. The latest nationwide elections took place during Robert Kocharian’s presidency, and Kocharian was, in fact, the one who installed Sarkisian as president. Of course, he did that out of his own interests. But what matters now is that for the first time in his life Sarkisian will need to contest nationwide elections on his own.”

“Yerkir” says the immediate steps of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) will largely define the shape of future politics in Armenia. “The next couple of months will be crucial from this point of view, because the HHK itself is interested in clearing up its relations with its junior coalition partner as early as possible. It doesn’t want to delay it because of the approaching election period as the closer elections are the fewer opportunities it will have to subjugate its partner. Further pressures [on the BHK] will reveal the HHK’s desire to achieve a landslide victory in the elections, which contrasts with its declared commitment to holding fair and transparent elections.”

In an interview with “Hraparak” BHK parliamentary faction member Ruben Gevorgian comments on the recent arrests of BHK members and supporters. He says: “I can say one thing and this is my opinion. The police chief, Vladimir Gasparian, as a good Christian, will consider any of his actions in the contest of not deviating from the Lord’s commandments. And I don’t think that for the sake of serving his earthly lord he will wrong against God.”